Comfort foods don't have to lead to elastic-waist pants. We show you where these wintertime classics go wrong—and how you can rescue them in your own kitchen

Cold weather makes us crave the primal pleasures of comfort food, but a new year is also the time to follow through on our weight-loss resolutions. So how can we resist the belly-warming, sugar-laden, fat-drenched foods that foster some of America's greatest health problems? And scarier yet, the restaurant versions that take bad (and delicious) to worse (and dangerous)?

Actually, you don't have to choose between feeding your belly and flattening it. While writing our new book, Cook This, Not That! Skinny Comfort Foods, we dissected four iconic American comfort dishes, pinpointing major trouble spots and offering quick, decisive fixes for each. Use these tricks and techniques as a blueprint for healthy cooking, so you can avoid dining-out disasters and turn all your favorite comfort foods into mouth-watering weight-loss weapons. You'll have all the edible comfort you crave, plus a lean belly to show for it.

MAC & CHEESE

Think about comfort food and you'll probably conjure up an image of a bubbling crock of mac & cheese. The problem is, short of mayo straight from the jar, you'd be hard-pressed to find a food with more calories per gram. But we believe that a creamy but relatively healthy mac & cheese is an inalienable right of every American—and we've cracked the code.

The Fix: Many restaurants use low-cost, high-calorie cheeselike substances of the Velveeta variety. Instead, swap in bechamel—an easy, creamy white sauce. Add flavor-packed sharp Cheddar, along with lower-calorie Swiss and mozzarella for more meltability. To finish, top with Parmesan and panko, and broil for a crunchy crust.

MACARONI & CHEESE

You'll need:

2 cups elbow macaroni, fusilli, or cavatappi pasta

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups 2% milk

1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup grated Gruyere or other Swiss cheese

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Pepper to taste

How to make it:

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and reserve the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 5 minutes. Add the Gruyere, Cheddar, and mozzarella, and stir until melted. Cut the heat, add the yogurt and cooked pasta, and toss.

3. Heat the broiler. Pour the mac & cheese mixture into an 8" square baking dish. Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan, and season with black pepper. Broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

The sundae used to be so simple: a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate, and a cherry on top. But that treat has been replaced by tricked-out, candy-packed, triple-sauced behemoths that can contain more calories than a pound of steak. Follow these tips and you'll return the old-school sundae to its rightful place as a sensible indulgence.

The Fix: Seek out quality ice cream that lists milk, not cream, as the first ingredient. We like Breyers Natural Vanilla, at under 150 calories per serving, or any of the ice creams on our list of the 24 Best (and Worst) Desserts in America. Garnish it with high-impact fruit, chocolate, and nuts, which add flavor rather than mere sweetness. And serve it in a rocks glass, which looks great while limiting portion size.

1. Preheat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet on medium high. Halve the bananas lengthwise, being sure to leave each half in the peel. Coat the exposed banana flesh with the brown sugar, using your fingers to press the sugar in. When the skillet or grill pan is hot, place the bananas in the pan, cut side down. Cook them until the surface caramelizes to a deep brown, about 3 minutes.

2. Let the bananas cool briefly, carefully remove the peels, and place each piece in the bottom of a rocks glass or a small bowl. (You can break the pieces in half if that works better.) Top each portion of banana with a scoop of ice cream along with equally divided portions of warmed chocolate sauce and a sprinkling of chopped peanuts.

(Makes 4 servings)

Estimated average restaurant ice cream sundae

Calories: 840

Fat:55 g

Sugars: 95 g

Our ice cream sundaeCalories: 314Fat: 13 gSugars: 37 g

SAVECalories: 526Fat: 42 gSugars: 58 g

CHICKEN POTPIE

Classic potpie is meaty, creamy, saucy, and downright delicious. It's also dangerously overloaded with ingredients that give your cardiologist nightmares: cheap fats, empty carbs, and lots of sodium. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way. A few simple tricks can make potpie nutritionally respectable without sacrificing the creature comforts of the original dish.

The Fix: Roll out the pastry as thin as you can—you'll still have the buttery golden crust for about a quarter of the calories. For the filling, keep the focus on meat and vegetables, not sauce. And make the potpie in a single baking dish, which makes it easy to carve out reasonable portions—simply divide into quarters and serve.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Cook the carrots and garlic until soft, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and onions; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the flour.

2. Gradually whisk in the broth, milk, and half-and-half, and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken and peas and season with salt and pepper. Pour the filling into a 13"×9" baking dish.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry so it's slightly larger than the dish. Place the pastry over the dish, pinching it against the sides, and brush with the egg whites. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

In many typical diners, clam chowder means a soup so thick and creamy that you practically have to scrape it off the spoon with your teeth. And that's a shame: the Elmer's glue consistency means it's been thickened with too much flour and packed with so much cream that the subtle, briny flavor of the clams is drowned out altogether. It ends up being a bowl of blandness. (For more ways to whip up a quick, hearty soup, follow these 5 Soup Rules from Mark Bittman.)

The Fix: The truth is, clam chowder—real clam chowder, that is—has always been about the clams. All they need is a thin but bracing broth of clam juice and a hit of milk to create a belly-warming brew that won't sit in your stomach until St. Patty's day. One essential addition: bacon. The smoky flavor pairs perfectly with the bivalves.

How to make it:1. In a large pot or saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it's browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve.

2. Add the onion and celery to the bacon fat in the pan and cook them until soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the liquid from the canned clams, the bottled clam juice, and the milk.

3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the potatoes and thyme. Cook at a steady simmer just until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Season the chowder with salt and black pepper. Just before serving, add the canned clams and simmer just long enough to heat them through. Garnish with the crispy bacon.

You can revamp your favorite meals to slash calorie counts while actually boosting flavor. Here are three upgrades, from breakfast to dinner, that prove it.

1. BREAKFAST: French toast

French toast is by definition a carb-heavy breakfast. But by increasing your fiber intake, you can blunt the impact on your sugar levels. Try replacing the syrup with any of these simple fruit-packed toppings. Sure, it's still a pretty decadent way to start your day, but at least you won't need a nap afterward. Even better: Whip up one of these 8 Easy Egg Recipes.

TRY THIS

A dollop of ricotta and some orange segments

Raw strawberries with powdered sugar

Blueberries cooked for 15 minutes with a spoonful of water and a bit of sugar

2. LUNCH: Deli sandwich

Reconfigure your next triple-decker sandwich as a knife-and-fork version on a single slice of bread. This achieves the near-impossible feat of making it feel more substantial while actually lowering its calories. Just broil the assembled open-faced sandwich on a baking sheet until browned, 5 minutes.

TRY THIS

Black Forest ham, Gruyere, Dijon mustard, freshly ground pepper

Roast beef, caramelized onions, provolone, thinly sliced pickles

Roasted vegetables, pesto, fresh mozzarella

3. DINNER: Stuffed pasta

You might think of lasagna and manicotti as cheesy instruments of the devil, tempting you away from your best eating intentions. But if you tweak the sauce and cut back on the mozzarella, you'll find a healthy meal hiding under that bubbling cheese. Use one of these fillings in your next batch.

TRY THIS

Chicken sausage simmered with onions, garlic and tomatoes

Sautéed mushrooms with goat cheese, parsley, and ricotta

Shrimp sautéed with garlic and spinach, with sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta

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